Monday, 5 September 2016

SHOWCASE: Deathwatch: Jensus Natorian

Deathwatch: Jensus Natorian
The vengeful son

There's been a recent flurry of activity from Games Workshop around the Deathwatch chapter of space marines. Multiple releases have—after many, many years—finally turned the Deathwatch into a viable army in their own right. Previous attempts had merely seen them acting as specialist elites, allied with another army. Now they're fully capable of doing battle alone. The slew of new miniatures has reminded me of yet another unfinished project on my desk: this guy.

Ready to do battle

Some of you may already have noticed that this character isn't one of the new releases. He was released earlier this year as part of the Deathwatch: Overkill boxed game, including a full unit of Deathwatch marines and a decent-sized brood of aliens for them to fight in their own self-contained game. (I actually got it because I liked the aliens so much, and because of the hint of nostalgia.) I bought the set when it came out and, as expected, let it sit in a pile with the rest of my projects-awaiting-attention until I got around to it. Well, consider this a start.

The obligatory rear view

Jensus Natorian is a Deathwatch librarian (psyker), seconded from the Blood Ravens chapter. (All members of the Deathwatch chapter are effectively 'borrowed' from other space marine chapters. Their own chapter's emblem remains on their right shoulder pad, but otherwise they are assigned the black and silver armour of the Deathwatch.) He's the first and, so far, only Deathwatch model I've ever painted. The scheme follows the standard Deathwatch colours and is quite simplistic. This isn't a competition piece. All of the Deathwatch models are beautiful sculpts, but slightly frustrating to paint. There's just so much detail on them, that it's a bit of a chore. It's worth it in the end though.

Given that I have ten more Deathwatch marines to do, and that I quite like the look of the new aircraft that's just been released, this model won't be the last one I do. As I have so many other projects on the go, however, he'll have to get used to being alone for now...